Lessons from The Tao Te Ching

Here is one of my favorite passages from the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu written in the sixth century B.C.

Chapter 41

The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.
The average student hears of the Tao and gives it thought now and again.
The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud.
If there were no laughter, the Tao would not be what it is.

Hence it is said:
The bright path seems dim;
Going forward seems like retreat;
The easy way seems hard;
The highest Virtue seems empty;
Great purity seems sullied;
A wealth of Virtue seems inadequate;
The strength of Virtue seems frail;
Real Virtue seems unreal;
The perfect square has no corners;
Great talents ripen late;
The highest notes are hard to hear;
The greatest form has no shape.
The Tao is hidden and without name.
The Tao alone nourishes and brings everything into fulfillment.

This philosophy of Lao Tsu is simple, follow the natural order of things. People come and go in and out of our lives. We attain possessions while losing others. Often we get caught up trying to constantly gain and achieve more and more. Instead of always seeking more, take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is all around you. If we can see the world with an open and inviting mind, infinite possibilities can exist.
-Alyson Adams, L.Ac.